A numerical approach based on the solution of the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes(RANS) equations using the shear-stress transport(SST) turbulence model has been employed to investigate the hydrodynamic performance an...A numerical approach based on the solution of the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes(RANS) equations using the shear-stress transport(SST) turbulence model has been employed to investigate the hydrodynamic performance and flow of tunnel thrusters.The flow passages between adjacent blades are discretized with prismatic cells so that the boundary layer flow is resolved down to the viscous sub-layer.The hydrodynamic performances predicted by the quasi-steady approach agree well with the experimental data for three impellers covering a range of blade area and pitch.Through analysis of the flow field,the reason why the hub of impeller also contributes to thrust which can amount to 40%—60% of the impeller thrust,and the mechanism of the impeller inducing an axial force on the hull are elucidated.展开更多
Compared with open propellers, the impeller of a tunnel thruster is more vulnerable to cavitation and structural vibration problems because the impeller is typically subject to severe non-uniformity of inflow produced...Compared with open propellers, the impeller of a tunnel thruster is more vulnerable to cavitation and structural vibration problems because the impeller is typically subject to severe non-uniformity of inflow produced by the blunt gearbox. Model tests and numerical simulations are carried out in the cavitation tunnel of Shanghai Jiao Tong University for a tunnel thruster using a "flat plate" impeller and a tip-unloaded one. The characteristics of fluctuating pressures on the tunnel wall and the resultant excitation forces are investigated. It is found that although unloading the blade tips of an impeller is effective in reducing the fluctuating pressures in a local tunnel wall area near the tips, the same trend does not apply to the case of the excitation forces. The results show that care should be taken when the experimentally measured fluctuating pressures are utilized as the input to the analysis of structural vibrations.展开更多
文摘A numerical approach based on the solution of the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes(RANS) equations using the shear-stress transport(SST) turbulence model has been employed to investigate the hydrodynamic performance and flow of tunnel thrusters.The flow passages between adjacent blades are discretized with prismatic cells so that the boundary layer flow is resolved down to the viscous sub-layer.The hydrodynamic performances predicted by the quasi-steady approach agree well with the experimental data for three impellers covering a range of blade area and pitch.Through analysis of the flow field,the reason why the hub of impeller also contributes to thrust which can amount to 40%—60% of the impeller thrust,and the mechanism of the impeller inducing an axial force on the hull are elucidated.
文摘Compared with open propellers, the impeller of a tunnel thruster is more vulnerable to cavitation and structural vibration problems because the impeller is typically subject to severe non-uniformity of inflow produced by the blunt gearbox. Model tests and numerical simulations are carried out in the cavitation tunnel of Shanghai Jiao Tong University for a tunnel thruster using a "flat plate" impeller and a tip-unloaded one. The characteristics of fluctuating pressures on the tunnel wall and the resultant excitation forces are investigated. It is found that although unloading the blade tips of an impeller is effective in reducing the fluctuating pressures in a local tunnel wall area near the tips, the same trend does not apply to the case of the excitation forces. The results show that care should be taken when the experimentally measured fluctuating pressures are utilized as the input to the analysis of structural vibrations.
